It is not taboo to fetch what is at risk of being left behind (Sankofa) (detail)

Detail of Yusuf Etudaiye's It is not taboo to fetch what is at risk of being left behind (Sankofa), including The Mouth of Truth (2023) and Epicenter (2023).

In this group of ceramic pieces, Yusuf Etudaiye meditates on the Ghanaian concept of Sankofa-the quest for wisdom through learning from the past in order to ensure a strong future. Sankofa is symbolized by a bird in flight looking back with an egg of knowledge held in its beak. Born in Nigeria, Etudaiye has worked with clay in the U.S. for more than three decades, primarily in Oklahoma. He infuses traditional West African imagery, such as that of traditional lgbira masks, with contemporary motifs, creating pieces that explore hybrid identities. For Etudaiye, art-making is a spiritual practice of creation with the power to spread joy and combat negativity in the world. As an artist and teacher, Etudaiye aspires to embrace the ethos of Sankofa in his everyday life.